How to do everything wrong and still come out ahead…

Pointlessness

Today was yet another shining example of why I tend to (and really should) avoid Facebook – because the amount of stuff that Generation Z-ers don’t know about and still want to argue with random strangers for makes my head spin.

*sigh*

I won’t say this was one of my better moments, but it certainly won’t rank up anywhere near one of my worst. I managed to keep my cool throughout and didn’t turn vicious (though we all know I’m uniquely skilled in that arena), but the whole exchange ended up with SO many people spouting so much anger over something that has been written on actual paper and is available for anyone to read, and is therefore not really something to argue about at all. All this, because a not-very-bright girl spouted “facts” she apparently learned on YouTube (or Facebook, or a bathroom stall) that I had the unmitigated gall to disagree with (calmly, and like a grown up, I can assure you), and then not-so-wisely using emoticons and lols as the foundation for her argument, which basically did nothing to show her in a respectful, well-informed light, and finally resulted in me checking out after politely (sort of) telling her to read the First Amendment (followed by my own “LMAO,” which was the extent of my immature and impolite commentary on the commentary). I managed to refrain from posting the actual verbiage, and substantiating quotes from our Founding Fathers, so…there’s that…

Well, choosing to disengage had little effect – this didn’t end after the exchange between the two of us, because lots of folks chimed in to tell her she’s an idiot (from what I gather, though I stopped reading all comments after my First Amendment nudge), and her telling EVERYONE how she knows “quite a bit” and to F-off, and that no one cared about anything any of them said anyway. Since I didn’t look, there could also be people (who I can only assume would also be non-readers) arguing on her side, as well. Que sera, sera, ya know?

*sigh again*

The thing is, while I try awfully hard not to feed the negativity in this world, sometimes when someone is spouting nonsensical, unfounded, irrational, untrue, and biased religious-zealotry, I feel compelled to speak up. And to do this, I approach the discussion calmly, rationally (despite how irate I may feel), in an effort to not alienate my audience. I’m always, always up for a good debate, if there is a point to it, and if both sides can remain at least adult, but better still if both sides can remain open to new ideas and be kind. What was unfortunate today was that the Gen-Z-ers didn’t appear to share my desire to win over, but rather seemed altogether too happy to shove folks who disagree with them into a realm where they will forever be mortal enemies, instead of human beings on the same planet, all working toward a common goal.

I will say, though, that it’s disappointing when any debate is founded upon such a weak platform that the debater must resort to emoticons and lols because they don’t have anything else to bring to the discussion. It might have been amusing if it wasn’t important. As it stands, it was simply sad.